Wow. Seeing the pictures side by side really makes it clear how inferior the scoreboards are at the Cell. It would be really nice to have something like the others. I'm sure the other new stadiums around the league (Cin, Philly, Wash etc.) have similar fancy boards.

I don't think size matters as much as imagination (insert joke here). What made Veeck's original board so cool was its showmanship. The board's Sox-O-Gram, the pitch timer above the clock, the sound effects, and of course the home-run eruptions were so novel, so out there, that it set a new standard in sports entertainment. The current display is a billboard with Christmas lights flickering around it.

The picture below shows the 70's version of Veeck's board in full home-run frenzy. Random, bright light patterns, Roman candles at the top, and whooping sound effects gave us all a laugh. Veeck added the pinwheels in 1976 but it was otherwise unchanged from 1960.

The Marlins had the right idea with their goofy jumping porpoise contraption, but it was executed poorly. I've got to believe there's a electronic sign designer and a deep-pocketed sponsor somewhere who could come up with an over-the-top display that would be both contemporary and unabashedly goofy like Veeck's was in 1960. Large and sharp video boards are a requirement now, but there's so much more that could be done around it. During the game give us the line score, the ball/strike/out count, and the hitters stats. Between innings give us kiss cams, dancing peanuts, or whatever. But after a home run give us a show, because the White Sox invented it and the White Sox should own it.

I don't think size matters as much as imagination (insert joke here). What made Veeck's original board so cool was its showmanship. The board's Sox-O-Gram, the pitch timer above the clock, the sound effects, and of course the home-run eruptions were so novel, so out there, that it set a new standard in sports entertainment. The current display is a billboard with Christmas lights flickering around it.

The picture below shows the 70's version of Veeck's board in full home-run frenzy. Random, bright light patterns, Roman candles at the top, and whooping sound effects gave us all a laugh. Veeck added the pinwheels in 1976 but it was otherwise unchanged from 1960.

The Marlins had the right idea with their goofy jumping porpoise contraption, but it was executed poorly. I've got to believe there's a electronic sign designer and a deep-pocketed sponsor somewhere who could come up with an over-the-top display that would be both contemporary and unabashedly goofy like Veeck's was in 1960. Large and sharp video boards are a requirement now, but there's so much more that could be done around it. During the game give us the line score, the ball/strike/out count, and the hitters stats. Between innings give us kiss cams, dancing peanuts, or whatever. But after a home run give us a show, because the White Sox invented it and the White Sox should own it.

But after a home run give us a show, because the White Sox invented it and the White Sox should own it.

THIS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by soxnut67

I emailed Brooks about 2 years ago on the topic of replacing the board. he said that 75% of mlb boards would have to be modernized before ours would be remodeled.

And he has said that he had been keeping tabs on the situation.

And since then I have emailed him now and again about the situation and he would respond that they are not there yet.

The last time I emailed him about it, I included how I liked Family Sundays, how much I thought the team was awful,and how much i disliked the new intro video,

Didn't respond back to me, and it's the first time he's never responded back. And I've basically been in correspondence with him since his first month on the job.

So I must've hit a nerve. Sure would like to know what's going on because it's time for a new board.

Last year I had a negative incident at the park. I emailed Brooks about it and he kind of blew it off. The first few years he was here he would bend over backwards to remedy any kind of issue. i'm not looking for miracles, but I was disappointed with his response.

Maybe it's time to stop bugging Brooks about every possible little issue you've had. He has enough on his plate without getting whiny emails from fans

I lead a $220M operation with 80+ employees and another 100 or so contractors- we're under a lot more pressure than Brooks is as he tries to create the next mediocre commercial or rehashing Mullett Night way past it's useful life.

I'm responsible to respond to all emails and calls from my "whiny" customers.

He used to and it was impressive. But now his responses can be summarized as:

I lead a $220M operation with 80+ employees and another 100 or so contractors- we're under a lot more pressure than Brooks is as he tries to create the next mediocre commercial or rehashing Mullett Night way past it's useful life.

I'm responsible to respond to all emails and calls from my "whiny" customers.

He used to and it was impressive. But now his responses can be summarized as:

I lead a $220M operation with 80+ employees and another 100 or so contractors- we're under a lot more pressure than Brooks is as he tries to create the next mediocre commercial or rehashing Mullett Night way past it's useful life.

I'm responsible to respond to all emails and calls from my "whiny" customers.

He used to and it was impressive. But now his responses can be summarized as:

You and your fellow White Sox fans are wrong, because my survey or social media data says.....

I'm not defending Brooks here, but I don't think your comparison holds any water. Unless you are in the entertainment industry and have millions of customers annually I fail to see how your experiences are all that related.

I'm not defending Brooks here, but I don't think your comparison holds any water. Unless you are in the entertainment industry and have millions of customers annually I fail to see how your experiences are all that related.

Maybe- we have thousands of customers (researchers, surgeons, scientists)- not millions- and I don't have any idea how many emails Brooks receives from knuckleheads like us.

But he used to be responsive and open to feedback and input- if it was constructively delivered- that's changed in the last year.

He's been in the job for 9-10 years- that's a long time for anyone- probably time for a change-